This Neighborhood

From the community to a group of privaleged kids

You group of kids

with the shorts and V-neck shirts

You who have come

From the land of plastic smiles

You who laugh

at the monsters lurking down the road -

You don't belong here. 

You're not safe here. 

You who've never felt

the sadistic sun's scourge

You who've never walked

these cracked streets, paved with rage

You who've never smelled the piss

Mixed with weed

Mixed with stale beer

Mixed with hopelessness

Little do you know

how this place can steal your dignity. 

How it wraps around your ankles, 

and rips you off your feet 

You don't belong here, 

so don't think you're safe here. 

But, here you are, 

minds and arms open

with drops of compassion 

rolling down your face. 

You now step into our sad, soiled skin, 

trying to understand this beast we call Home, 

while we, with more difficulty, 

try to understand you. 

Author's Note

I wrote this poem during a Spring Break trip with the Los Angeles Urban Project. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

<3 Elisa

Reviews

[steven]

great as always Elisa. loved this piece as i love all of your wok

[Horizons]

I think, your knacks 'bout shaping projects with words're very good. Your earlier write "Beach" is 'bout "Victoria - The Queen (your friend)" where you capture her in words beautifully & treasure the glamour of nature through your literary-art where, of course, I did see the magnificent view through your words. Here, in this write, I again see.. very beautiful moments of L.A city through your poetic-page. You always create very vivid imagery across your pages that I still love 'bout you & your work. Keep writing! ;)

[Elisa]

Aww thank you! I appreciate it :)

[Horizons]

Always a pleasure, Elisa ;)
Would you mind if I ask, how much time or many days you took to write this write? I meant, writing this project or making it complete like this`s seemed an easy task so, how to all make it so easy-going?

[Elisa]

I came up with this poem in like ten minutes as my friends and I were walking to the metro station, but I didn't have a pen or paper with me, so I'm sure it got changed around a little bit as I was trying to remember it.

[Horizons]

Ah ~ Now here you remind me or may be, teach me that a writer should always have pen and paper in his pocket or with him. It happens to me either bunches of times that sometimes, when I don`t keep pen and paper, unfazed thoughts hit in my head and craved to get slipped down in words, sadly, I seem to be failed to write `em down with an ink of pen, but thankfully, my phone steps forward and solves every problem. I mean, "S-Memo" (in phone-menu) helps my finger dancing all over the screen. Umm.... you too can apply this or try this to your life. Whenever you are away of your pen and paper, use your phone to write unto its sheets, cos, in today`s world, everyone keeps phone with him so, I think, you too can use it in that way by the very sides of 'whatsapp'. (Smile) Do I look like fool blabbering out here & making you feeling mad at me? Lol

[Elisa]

Oh no I totally get you! It just sucked at that particular moment because my phone was dead too. I was like "Darn it!"

[Horizons]

Well, I don`t know why beautiful ones cell phone always get dead when they need it the most! Damn! It`s seemed like when a lady needs a man most to walk her wounds, her man never comes forward to take her hands. He only takes her everything.. for nights. Ah -Nevermind, I know, i`m distracting off the topic, but I shared when hit in my head at the moment. You getting what i`m talking `bout??

[Elisa]

Yes :) you speak what's on your mind!